Muggle Magic
by Music Writes
Summary: James shows Lily he's skilled in more then one kind of magic.


Muggle Magic

Hogwarts was enjoying one of its last warm days at the end of September by being outside. Most students were just lounging around with their friends and a few fourth year Hufflepuffs sat dangling their feet in the black lake keeping a weary eye out for the giant squid and immature boys who might push them in.

A few yards away a red haired seventh year, the Head Girl, sat with her back against a large tree with her nose buried in a book. She was enjoying the silence and warm weather when suddenly….

"Hey Evans!"

Lily Evans sighed as she brought her book up closer to her face hoping that if she ignored him he would go away but knowing that it was useless.

Her book was pulled down a few seconds later and a bespectacled boy of seventeen was staring at her ruffling his hair with one hand.

"Hey Evans." He said again shooting her a heart melting smile.

Lily choose to ignore the butterflies in her stomach that she got when she saw him. She'd had those a lot of the time when he was around lately. Maybe she was coming down with something.

"What do you want Potter?" she asked with a sigh knowing from years of experience he wouldn't leave tell he asked her out at least twice.

"Wanna see a magic trick?" he asked pulling something out of his pocket.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Potter we go to a magical school. Why would I want to-" she stopped when she saw that he had not pulled his wand out of his pocket like she had expected but a muggle deck of cards. "Where'd you get those?" she asked surprised.

"Remus's mum sent them to me a few Christmas back." He said as he began to shuffle the cards. "Now Lily." He began looking in her green eyes. "I have a proposition for you."

One of Lily's red eyebrows shot up. "Oh? And what would that be Potter?"

James smiled, the corners of his hazel eyes crinkling up slightly in the corner. "I'm going to show you a magic trick. I'm gonna shuffle the cards and show you the card on the bottom. And if I guess it right well." Here James paused and shot her a look out of the corner of his eye. "You have to call me James."

Lily let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. She was so sure he was going to say she had to go out with him if he got it right. Well since it wasn't that and since she highly doubted he'd guess her card right….

"Okay." She said with a shrug closing her book and placing it in her lap.

It was James turn for his eyebrows to shoot up. "Okay? Really?" he asked in disbelief.

Lily nodded, a small smile gracing her pale pink lips at the look of disbelief covering his otherwise handsome features.

Lily inwardly grimaced at the thought she just had. It must not have been as mentally as she thought though as James looked at her with concern.

"Are you okay Lily?" he asked reaching his hand a little in her direction like he was going to brush the piece of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail out of her face. But when his arm was only a few inches from her he seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly moved his hand up to ruffle with his own hair. Lily discreetly raised an eyebrow at him but otherwise choose to ignore the whole thing.

"Yeah I'm fine." She said tucking the hair behind her ear herself.

James nodded and dropped his hand back down to the deck of cards. "So-" he began. "Are you ready to see some magic?" James shot her a coy smile which Lily only rolled her eyes out.

"What happens if you don't guess it right?" Lily asked as the thought came to her.

James thought for a bit one hand absent mindedly stroking his chin where Lily noticed a few hairs were like he missed them while shaving.

"Well." James drawled drawing her attention (and eyes) away from his chin. "What do you want?"

Now it was Lily's turn to think. At first she was going to say for him to leave her alone and never talk to her again but with them as the Head Boy and Girl that wouldn't exactly work. Then it came to her.

"If you get the card wrong." She said looking him in the eyes. "You have to stop asking me out all the time."

James smiled and nodded seeing a loop hole. She only said _all the time_ not at all. "Sure." He said biting down on his lip to keep his smile growing.

Lily looked at him disbelieving. "Really?" she stressed wanting to know for sure he wouldn't be asking her out every time he saw her. Although she realized with a sharp jolt, he hadn't asked her out all year. As Lily thought of this she fought off the sense of disappointment that followed it. She was _happy_ he hadn't asked her out all year. Way did she feel disappointed?

"Alright Potter" Lily began looking up at him. "Let's see that magic trick."

James picked up the cards with a smile. He began to shuffle them almost expertly through his fingers. "Tell me when to stop shuffling." he said glancing up at her.

After he had shuffled a few more times looking at Lily the entire time and not at his fingers or the cards at all Lily said "Stop."

James smiled and closed his eyes while turning his head to the left. He lifted up the deck of cards at Lily. "Memorize the card." James commanded with his eyes still shut. A few seconds later he asked. "Got it?"

Lily nodded and then blushed realizing he couldn't see her. "Yes." She said clearing her throat a little.

James put the cards face down in his lap before turning to face her and opening his eyes. He looked at Lily and leaned in close to her staring straight into her green eyes the whole time. When he kept getting closer (_Close enough to kiss me_ Lily thought) she squeaked out "What are yo-"but she was cut off when he pulled back a little.

"Queen of Hearts." He said with a triumphant smile.

As her eyes grew to an almost comical wide he stood up after grabbing his cards off the ground. "Well I'll see you around Lily."

And with that he walked back up to the castle leaving Lily sitting there dumbstruck.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The Marauders lounged around in the common room laughing uncontrollably at a joke Sirius had said when James looked over at Remus.

"Thanks for showing me that magic trick." He said after they'd calmed down a little from all the laughter.

Remus wiped tears from his eyes. "The shuffle one?" he asked still chuckling softly.

James nodded. "Yeah. Where'd you even learn it?"

Remus smiled at the memory. "My Uncle Todd used to show me all kinds of magic tricks. That one always used to stump me until I realized he just always kept the bottom card in place while he shuffled."


End file.
